Two New York City cops are being hailed as heroes after they saved the life of an unconscious baby who had turned purple from choking on milk.
Officer Zihan Liu and Jeshua Hernandez of the NYPD’s 2nd precinct were called to a Brooklyn home on 43rd Street in Sunset Park last week where they were met with a 22-day-old unconscious baby girl who was purple from choking.
‘When I got the baby in my hand, the baby is not soft anymore, you know, a baby is soft, little baby,’ Officer Liu told ABC 7 News. ‘I said oh no, this is not good.’
Bodycam video showed the moment the two officers arrived at the home at around 9.30pm last Friday evening.
A hurried man is captured rushing down the stairs and opening the door for the officers as a woman holding a newborn baby quickly trailed behind him – immediately passing her off to Liu.
‘He was translating, you know, speaking to them in Mandarin,’ Officer Hernandez told ABC. ‘Once he told me choking, that’s when my heart stopped.’
But the officers bravely jumped into action – immediately starting to preform life-saving measures on the baby girl.
Officer Zihan Liu (left) and Jeshua Hernandez (right) of the NYPD’s 2nd precinct are being hailed as heroes after they saved the life of an unconscious 22-day-old infant who had turned purple from choking on milk
Heart-stopping body-cam video footage showed the moment the officers arrived at the Brooklyn home where a hurried mother handed them her newborn baby girl last Friday evening
The incredible footage captured Officer Liu as he remembered his CPR and first aid training on a dummy baby in the academy and repeatedly pushed on the baby girl’s back to loosen the blockage
The nerve-racking footage captured Liu turning the baby onto her stomach and slapping her back as Hernandez held her mouth open.
‘I kept thinking, what if this doesn’t work, what if this doesn’t work, I was like what if I’m not doing this right, what if I’m not doing this right,’ Liu said. ‘I was nervous.’
But luckily he remembered practicing CPR and first aid training on a dummy baby while in the academy – specifically doing 15 to 16 consistent back slaps – and his preparation ultimately overpowered any of his doubts.
After Liu repeatedly pushed on the baby girl’s back – loosening the blockage caused by choking on the milk – she finally started to cry.
When EMTs arrived on the scene, Liu, who still had the baby in his hands, appeared to have a hard time letting go.
The baby was then taken to a hospital for further treatment, but she and her parents are now doing fine.
‘I took this job, because I love to help people, I speak the language, so why not join the force and held Chinese people in need,’ Liu added.
As Liu consistently slapped on the infant’s back, Hernandez was captured opening her mouth – and she thankfully began crying shortly after
Assistant Chief Charles McEvoy, Commanding Officer, took to X on Friday evening to praise the two officers, stating: ‘Their bravery, professionalism and dedication to the community are truly commendable’
Assistant Chief Charles McEvoy, Commanding Officer, took to X on Friday evening to praise the two officers for their incredible rescue on that winter night last month.
‘Hats off to Police Officer Zihan Liu and Police Officer Jeshua Hernandez from the NYPD 2nd Precinct for their swift and life-saving actions in rendering medical aid to save the life of a choking infant girl,’ he wrote.
‘Their bravery, professionalism and dedication to the community are truly commendable.’
And the two heroic big apple cops said that they were happy to be able to give the infant girl a new lease on life.
‘I was so happy I was able to be there, Hernandez added. ‘If we weren’t there, something worse could have happened.’
